Working with Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities Who Exhibit Sexual Problems or Offending Behaviors
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Training Description
This training provides an extensive discussion of assessment, treatment and management issues and strategies for working with individuals with intellectual disabilities who exhibit sexual problems or offending behaviors. We begin with exploration of the effects of intellectual disability on adaptive functioning, comorbid mental health issues, effects on adjudication decisions and the effects of impaired cognitive functioning in treatment. Next, we review in depth a range of assessment tools and procedures that have been researched and validated with individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities. While these include the well-known static and dynamic assessment tools, we also review tools for assessing the effects of the individual’s environment and life context, trauma, sexual interests, sexual knowledge, competence to consent to sexual activity and other relevant issues.
After we review assessment from a whole-person perspective, we transition to address a number of treatment related issues. We explore several treatment models and principles, including the application of the risk, needs and responsivity principles to the work with persons who have intellectual disabilities. We review the old-me, new-me model and methods, good lives principles and relapse prevention. Next, we describe treatment components with their strengths and weaknesses. Elements include motivational approaches, identity development and strategies to encourage client engagement in the change process. Basic risk- and life-relevant skills that underly the change process are identified as well as critical treatment targets. We wrap up with a detailed discussion of supervision and risk management strategies. We discuss assessment of risk manageability, staff training, collaboration efforts and the necessary continuity of care across settings. Commonly over-looked risk issues are identified as well as steps involved with the reduction of treatment and supervision.
Trainer Biographies
Gerry D. Blasingame, Psy.D., LMFT, has engaged in assessment and treatment of individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities for over three decades. Along with countless hours of clinical experience, Gerry has written extensively regarding this work. His work includes Developmentally Disabled Persons with Sexual Behavior Problems, second edition (2005) and An Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorders, Sexual Behaviors, and Therapeutic Interventions (2011). Gerry also edited Practical Treatment Strategies for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities: Working with Forensic Clients with Severe and Sexual Behavior Problems (2006). Gerry is a member of ATSA (Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers), and a past member of the ATSA Board as the Pacific Region Representative. Gerry was deemed an ATSA Fellow in 2017. Gerry is a past Chairperson of the Board for the California Coalition on Sexual Offending and is a member of the Montana Sex Offender Treatment Association (MSOTA). Gerry was appointed to the California Sex Offender Management Board (CASOMB) in 2007 and is the chairperson of the CASOMB Certification Committee. Gerry provides training and consultation nationally for residential services and day programs, community-based outpatient programs and clinicians.
James Haaven, MA, is a consultant in private practice in the field of assessment, treatment and program development of individuals with intellectual disabilities. He has over 40 years of experience including direct clinical experience and developing and directing treatment programs with this population. James has provided consultation and training throughout the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. He has provided consultation in the development of inpatient institutional programs, community-based programs, transition programs and statewide delivery systems for managing sex offender services. James has co-authored chapters of books in the areas of treatment theory, risk assessment, treatment, community transition and program development. James is the lead author of the book Treating Intellectually Disabled Sex offenders: A Model Residential Program and one of the authors of the dynamic risk management instrument known as the Assessment of Risk and Manageability for Individuals with Developmental and Intellectual Limitations who Offend Sexually (ARMIDILO-S). James has been a member of ATSA (Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers) since it’s inception. James was on the ATSA Board for thirteen years and was the recipient of the ATSA Significant Achievement Award in 2007.
Learning Objectives
This training is designed to help you:
- Describe three ways that intellectual disabilities effect adjudication decisions
- Describe four ways intellectual disabilities effect treatment processes
- List ten assessment tools and procedures useful in whole-person psychosexual evaluations
- Describe the application of the RNR principles in the work with persons with intellectual disabilities
- List 7 basic skills and critical treatment targets
- Describe five tenets of collaborative risk management
